Garment support



Dec. 23, 1941. w s G|NNEL 2,267,235

GARMENT SUPPORT Filed May 18, 1940 INVEWTOR I BY, I

My, W 6 ATT RN Y$.

Patented Dec. 23, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,267,235 I GARMENT SUPPORT William S. Ginnel, New York, N. Y. Application May 18, 1940, Serial No. 335,902

18 Claims.

This invention relates to garment holders or supports, and more particularly to improvements in a support intended to take the place of the ordinary non-stretchable trousers supporting belt which completely encircles the body of the wearer.

In many respects, the ordinary type of belt referred to is objectionable. For example, trousers are usually cut or designed so that when being worn the location of the waistband is intended to be well above the wearers hips, and to hold the trousers up in place it becomes habitual for the wearer to exert pressure to place the belt under tension by straining to expand that portion of his body encircled by the belt. This habit induces faulty posture and is otherwise unhealthy. In spite of efiorts to prevent .it, the trousers usually slip down until the belt rests on the hips, giving rise to the noticeable and objectionable habit of frequently hitching or readjusting the trousers to raise them up again so that they hang properly. In addition to the foregoing, a belt requires that loops be arranged around the trousers waistband for the belt to be laced through, and these loops are subject to wear and breakage. Moreover, in warm weather a belt induces perspiration, which in itself adds to the discomfort of the wearer and may give rise to a skin irritation of one sort or another; and, if a colored belt is worn, the perspiration frequently causes the coloring dye to stain the trousers material. There are many other objectionable features which are so'well known that they need not be set forth at length herein.

Attempts have been made heretofore to provide devices adapted to take 'up the slack of the waist band of trousers and thus obviate the necessity for using a belt which completely encircles the waistband. The devices of the art, however; are

open to the objections that they require the wise damage it seriously, or that for some other reason they are undesirable.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a trousers support which can be used instead of a belt completely encircling the waistband and thus obviate the objectionable features 15 thereof.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a trousers support which is free from the defects of the .art, which is simple and easy to u 111 pensive to manufacture, durable, and fully adapted to carry out its intended function.

Some of the features of the present invention are that the trousers support holds the trousers from slipping out of the proper position, whereby they hang at all times in the manner they were intended to when originally fitted to the wearer. In use, the support is adapted to exert a slight pressure across the small of the back of the wearer, which has the effect of causing him to throw back his shoulders involuntarily and thus assume a correct upright posture. There are no surfaces or projections to pierce and thus damage the material of the waistband, yet the holding power of the anchoring means for securing the support to the waistband is far greater than any force to which the anchorage will be subjected in use. Furthermore, the support is adapted for quick attachment to'and detachment from the trousers waistband, and is adjustable in length as well as in its attachment to the waistband.

Many other features will become apparent from a reading of the description of the invention which follows inconnection withthe accompanying-drawing. I j I In carrying out the present invention, the trousers support is in the form of a strap member or abbreviated belt adapted to be arranged at the inner side of the waistband, being attached to the waistband at opposite sides thereof to extend across the back of the wearer. Preferably, the strap is made of contractile or elastic material so that it will support the trousers by taking up the slack of the waistband to draw the latter snugly against the wearers body and yet be yieldable to permit comfortable breathing and bodily vmovements. Q i

In its broader aspects,'and according to a preferred embodiment thereof, the present invention provides a garment holder comprising a strap member having a novel form of clip fastener at each end to attach it to the garment, the clips being formed each with spaced apart teeth extending from a cross-piece and adapted to be slid over a free edge of the garment material with a plurality of teeth disposed on one side of the material and at least one intermediate tooth disposed on the other side thereof. More specifically, the garment holder comprises a strap detachably secured at each end to a clip fastener for attaching it to a trousers waistband. The clips are formed each with a horizontally disposed cross-piece, which is substantially V-shaped in horizontal cross-section, and from the lower edge of which three teeth extend, one from the free end of each arm and one from the region of the apex of the V-shaped cross-piece, whereby the intermediate tooth is in laterally offset relation to the two end teeth. The teeth are substantially parallel and disposed edgewise of the clip at an angle to the perpendicular relatively to the crosspiece. An arm is joined to the outer edge of one of the end teeth, the leading tooth in the direction of the incline thereof, and extends toward the cross-piece, being disposed at an angleto the center line of the tooth to which it is joined to locate it in a vertical position, this arrangement also spacing the arm from the tooth to which it is joined and the end of the cross-piece to permit the attachment of a looped end of the strap thereto. At its upper or free-end, the arm is formed with a lug extending toward, but terminating short of, the cross-piece, which holds the strap from slipping off the arm.

In the accompanying drawing, the invention has been shown merely by wayof example and in preferred form, and obviously many modifications and variations may be made therein and in its mode of application which will still be comprised within its spirit. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment, except insofar as such limitations are set forth in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, showing a trousers waistband with a support according to the present invention fitted thereon;

' Fig. 2 is an elevation of the support, the strap being partly broken away;

Fig. Sis a top plan View of the support, a portion of the trousers waistband being shown in broken lines;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the clip fasteners;

Fig. is an edgewise elevation of one of the clip fasteners;

Fig. '6 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing a modification of the clip fastener; and

Fig. '7 is a sectional ,view taken on the line 1-! of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, and as shown in the drawing, the garment holder comprises a strap member I of elastic or other contractile material attached at opposite ends to clip fasteners 2 and 3. The clips 2 and 3 comprise substantially the same structural elements, the only difference between the clips being that the clip 2 is formed for attachment to the right-hand end of the strap I and the clip 3 is formed for attachment to the left-hand end of the strap. Therefore, a detailed description of the structure of the clip 2 will suffice for both.

. Preferably, the clip 2 is formed of resilient material such as spring steel or a suitable plastic, and comprises a horizontally disposed top crosspiece 4 from the lower edge of which three spaced 'apartteeth 5, 6 and I extend, the teeth being substantially parallel and disposed at an angle to the perpendicular relatively to the cross-piece 4. Referring particularly to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be noted that the cross-piece 4 is substantially V- shaped in horizontal cross-section, and that the end teeth 5 and I extend from the free ends of the arms 8 and 9, respectively, and the intermediate tooth 6 from the apex I II of the crosspiece I. Thus, the tooth 6 is laterally offset from the teeth 5 and I. In order to facilitate the attachment of the clip 2 to the trousers waistband I I, the tooth 6 is bent, as at l 2, near its lower free end to extend between and to the opposite side of the teeth 5 and I (see Fig. 5), thus providing a space I3 between the ends of all three teeth into which the free edge of the waistband II can be fitted preparatory to sliding the clip onto the waist band.

An arm I4, to which the strap member I is adapted to be attached, is joined integrally with the tooth I at the free end of the latter and extends vertically therefrom toward the cross-piece 4. The angular disposition of the arm I4 relative to the center line of the tooth I separates it from the outer edge I5 of the tooth I and from the end of the cross-piece 4. At its upper free end, the arm I4 is formed with a lug I6 which extends toward, but terminates short of, the end of the cross-piece 4 and thus serves to overlie the top'edge of the strap member I to hold the latter from slipping up off the end of the arm I4 when in use. 7

As already stated, the strap member I is preferably made of contractile or elastic material and, as shown, one end is formed with a loop I! by turning over the end of the strap and stitching the free edge thereof to the main portion of the strap as at I8, the loop I1 being large enough to be passed through an opening I9 between the end of the lug I6 and the cross-piece 4 and slipped over the lug and down onto the arm I 4. The strap I may be provided with a buckle of any suitable form, such as the buckle 20 shown in the drawings by way of example. The buckle 20 is arranged on the strap I for adjustment thereon to any set position, and the unlooped end 2| of the strap passes around the arm I4 of the clip 3 and then back and through the buckle 20 to the desired extent to determine the normal length of the strap. Thus an elongated loop 22 is provided which, of course, can be preformed and slipped over the attaching arm I 4 of the clip 3 in the same manner that the loop II is slipped over the arm I 4 of the clip 2, in which event, after the clips 2 and 3 have been attached to the waistband II,

the strap can be taken up or let out to adjust its length to suit the wearer.

In order to prevent the slack portion 23 of the waistband I I from buckling excessively, the strap I is equipped with a clip 24 having two fingers 25 and 26. The finger 25 of the clip 24 is secured to the strap I as by stitching through openings 2! formed in the finger 25; and the waistband is held by slipping it between the fingers 25 and 26 when the support is applied. As an alternative, a loop (not shown), through which the strap I is adapted to be passed, may be arranged on the inner side of the waistband I I.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the clips 2 and 3 are applied to the waistband II by slipping the teeth thereof over the free edge of the waistband with the end teeth 5 and I on the inside and the intermediate tooth 6 on the outside of the waistband and the cross-piece 4 engaging the top edge thereof. Thus, the teeth of the clips 2 and 3 extend angularly down along the waistband, and the latter overlies the front faces 5 and 1 of the teeth 5 and I, respectively, and extends around the back of the intermediate teeth 6. While the clips will slide easily over the waistband II in being attached thereto, the

edgewise pull exerted by the strap I will cause the material to bind tightly against the teeth and, by a snubbing action, resist the force exerted thereon. In addition to this, the resilient engagement of the teeth 5, 6 and I with the waistband material provides some resistance to the pull of the strap l, but the resiliency, in a large part, effects a tight interlacing of the waistband material about the teeth so that there is no looseness thereof to be taken up before the snubbing action of the clips becomes effective under the pull of the strap.

The disposition of the teeth 5, 6 and 1 at an angle to the cross-piece 4, and the angular disposition of the strap attaching arms [4, are for the purpose of preventing the clips 2 and 3 from slipping up oif the waistband II when in use. If the teeth 5, 6 and I were perpendicular to the cross-piece 4, the pull of the strap 1 could exert force enough to rotate the clips 2 and 3 in counterclockwise and clockwise directions, respectively, (Figs. 1 and 2). Such rotation of the clips would cause them to slip upwardly off the waistband ll. With the construction of the present invention, however, when the strap I is under tension, the edgewise pull on the clips 2 and 3 forces them downward on the waistband, with the result that the clips are urged more and more against slipping up off the waistband as the pull exerted by the strap l is increased.

A modification of the clip fastener of the present invention is shown in Figs. 6 and 7, wherein the waistband engaging faces of the teeth 5, B and 1 are formed with ribs 28 extending lengthwise of the teeth. The ribs 28 have smooth rounded surfaces which will not pierce the waistband material, but their presence provides the teeth with an irregular or corrugated surface which is advantageous for use with smooth, tight woven materials.

be easily and cheaply manufactured by stamping them out of spring steel of suitable gage, say approximately one-sixteenth of an inch, with the intermediate teeth 6 offset from the end teeth 5 and 7 approximately three thirtyseconds of an inch. The dimensions will vary, of course, according to the thickness of the garment material with which the clips are intended to be used. Various plastic materials can be employed equally as well, and the clips molded or otherwise formed thereof. These materials lend themselves readily to ornamentation; and a more or less expensive article can be provided according to the materials and ornamentation adopted. The strap I, too, need not be limited to the ordinary form of rubberized fabric, since there are many other contractile or elastic materials that have been developed recently which would answer the purpose satisfactorily.

While the present invention is directed to a garment holder or support, and particularly to a trousers support, there are obviously other uses to which it can be applied in practice. For example, in any instance when a garment or other article of flexible material presents two ends intended to be connected by a strap or the like and free edges are present over which the clip fasteners can be slipped, the present invention can be applied to that use. Moreover, a single clip may be employed as an anchor or fastening means. Furthermore, under certain conditions, it may be desirable not to have the teeth of the clip offset, or at least offset to the extent shown in the drawing; and, while a minimum of three teeth is necessary, it may be desirable to form the clips with more than three teeth and interlace the material about the teeth in a desired manner. As already stated, the invention has been shown herein merely by way of example and in a preferred form, and 'it is to be understood that it is not limited to any. specific form or embodiment, except insofar as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claimisz' m '1.-A clip fastener for anchoring the end of a strap: support to a garment, comprising spaced apart :teeth extending at an angle to the perpendicular from a cross-piece in the direction of one-edge thereof, said clip being adapted to be slid over thefree edge of the garment material with a plurality of teeth disposed on one side of the garment material and at least one intermediate tooth disposed on the other side thereof.

2. A clip -fastener for anchoring the end of a strap support to a garment, comprising a plurality of spaced apart teeth extending at an angle to the perpendicular from a cross-piece in the direction of one edge thereof and with adjacent teeth in laterally offset relation to one another, the clip being adapted tobe slid over the free edge of thegarment material with said adjacent teeth disposed on opposite sides thereof. a r

3. A clip fastener according to claim 1, wherein the clip is. formed with means for the quick attachment and detachment of the strap support thereto. 1

4. A clip fastener according to claim 1, characterized. by the fact that the clip is formed of resilient material.

5."A clip fastener according to claim 1, char- LEJ- acterized by the fact that the garment engaging It has been found that the clips 2 and 3 can surfaces of the teeth of the clip are formed with ribs extending lengthwise thereof, the ribs having smooth non-piercing surfaces.

:6. A clip fastener for anchoring the end of a strap support to a garment, comprising three spaced apart teeth extending at an angle to the perpendicular from a cross-piece in the direction of one edge thereof, said clip being adapted to be slid over a free edge of the garment material with the intermediate tooth on one side of the material and the two end teeth on the opposite side thereof.

7.. A clip fastener according to claim 6, wherein the intermediate tooth is bent outwardly near its free end to facilitate sliding the clip over the free edge of the garment material.

8. A clip fastener for anchoring the end of a strap support to a garment, comprising three spaced'apart teeth extending at an angle to the perpendicular from a cross-piece in the direction of one edge thereof, the intermedlate tooth being disposed in laterally ofiset relation to the other two and the .clip being adapted to be slid over a free edge of the garment material with the intermediate tooth on one side of the material and the two end teeth on the opposite side thereof.

9. A clip fastener according to claim 8, wherein the intermediate tooth is bent nearits free end to extend between the other two teeth to the opposite side thereof.

10. A clip fastener for anchoring the end of a strap support to a garment, comprising three spaced apart teeth extending at an angle to the perpendicular from a cross-piece in the direction of one edge thereof, the intermediate tooth being disposed in laterally offset relation to the end teeth, and an arm joined to one of said and teeth at the free end thereof and extending therefrom toward the crosspiece in spaced apart relationto .the'outer edge of said tooth and the respective end of the cross-piece, said arm being adapted for the attachment of one end of the strap member thereto.

11. A clip fastener for anchoring the end of a strap support to a garment, comprising three spaced apart teeth extending at an angle to the perpendicular from a cross-piece in the direction of one edge thereof, the intermediate tooth being disposed in laterally offset relation to the end teeth, an arm joined to one of said end teeth at the free end thereof and extending therefrom toward the cross-piece in spaced apart relation to the outer edge of said tooth and the respective end of the cross-piece, said arm being adapted for the attachment of one end of the strap thereto, and a lug formed at the free end of the arm and extending toward the end of the cross-piece for holding the strap from slipping off the arm.

12. A clip fastener according to claim 10, wherein said arm is disposed at an angle of substantially twenty degrees to the center line of the tooth to which it is joined.

13. A garment holder comprising a strap member having a clip fastener at each end to attach the member to the garment, the clips being formed each with a plurality of spaced apart teeth. extending at an angle to the perpendicular from a cross-piece in the direction of one edge thereof and adapted to be fastened to thegarment by slipping the teeth over a free edge of the garment material with adjacent teeth on opposite sides thereof, and means for attaching the strap member to the clips so that in use an edgewise pull is exerted on the clips in the direction of the edge toward which said teeth incline, whereby the clips anchor the ends of the strap by a binding or snubbing action on the garment material and the pull of the strap member forces the clips in the direction in which they are slipped on the free edge of the material.

14. A garment holder comprising a strap member having a clip fastener at each end to attach the member to a free edge of the garment material, the clips being formed each of a cross-piece which is substantially V-shaped in horizontal cross-section and from the lower edge of which three teeth extend, one from the free end of each arm and one from the region of the apex of the cross-piece, whereby the intermediate tooth is in laterally offset relation to the two end teeth, said teeth being parallel and disposed at an angle to the perpendicular relatively to the cross-piece in the direction of one edge thereof and adapted to be fastened to the garment material by slipping the clip over the free edge of the material with the two end teeth on one side thereof and the intermediate tooth on the opposite side thereof, and means for attaching the strap member to the clip so that in use the pull thereof is edgewise of the .clip in the direction of the edge toward which said teeth incline, the edgewise pull of the strap member and the angular disposition of the teeth of the clips acting conjointly to forcerthe clips in the direction in which they are slipped on the free edge of the material.

15. A garment holder comprising a strap member having a clip fastener at each end to attach the member to a free edge of the garment material, the clips-being formed each of a cross-piece which is substantially V-shaped in horizontal cross-section and from the lower edge of which three teeth extend, one from the free end of each arm and one from the region of the apex of the cross-piece, whereby the intermediate tooth is in laterally offset relation to the two end teeth, said teeth being parallel and disposed at an angle to the perpendicular relatively to the cross-piece in the direction of one edge thereof and adapted to .be fastened to the garment material by slipping the clip over the free edge of the material with the two end teeth on one side thereof and the intermediate tooth on the opposite side thereof, and an arm joined to the outer edge of one of the end teeth, said arm being disposed at an angle to the center line of the tooth to which it is joined so as to extend perpendicularly toward the cross-piece and being spaced from said tooth .and from the crosspiece to accommodate one end of' the strap member, the pull of the strap member being edgewise of the clips in the direction of the edge thereof towardwhich the teeth incline, and thereby forcing the clips downward onto the garment material.

16. A garment holder according to claim 15, wherein the free end of the intermediate tooth is bent to extend between the two end teeth and beyond the opposite side thereof to facilitate the attachment of the clip to the garment material, and wherein the arm to which the strap member is attached is formed at its free end with a lug extending toward the cross-piece to hold the strap member from slipping off the arm.

17. A clip fastener for anchoring the end of a strap or the like to a flexible member, comprising spaced apart teeth extending at an angle to the perpendicular from a cross-piece in the direction of one edge thereof and adapted to be slid over a free edge of said member with a plurality of teeth disposed on one side of the member and at least one intermediate tooth disposed on the other side thereof, and means for attaching the strap to the clip so that the pull exerted by the strap is edgewise of the clip.

18. A clip fastener for anchoring the end of a strap or the like to a flexible member comprising three substantially parallel spaced apart teeth extending at an angle to the perpendicular from a cross-piece in the direction of one edge thereof and adapted to be slid over a free edge of said member with the intermediate tooth on one side of the member and the two end teeth on the opposite side thereof, and means for attaching the strap to the clip so that the pull exerted by the strap is edgewise of the clip in the direction of the edge thereof toward which the teeth incline.

WILLIAM S. GINNEL. 

